God Demonstrates His own Love for us

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

In our house we recently made a major change. We adopted a cat, her name is Lola. We didn’t adopt just any cat. We adopted a cat that is grossly overweight. Not just big boned, but massive. It takes her at least three motions to get to her feet when she is lying down. At the shelter they had to shave her hindquarters because she is unable in her girth to keep herself clean. That is the cat that we wanted in the Kellermann household. Why did we want this cat? Because the girls were smitten with her. They seemed to love what typically would have been unlovable. When they adopted her the lady at the shelter began to cry because she had thought that no one would ever want her.

Now, I don’t frequently compare myself or others to an overweight cat, but I think that Lola’s story reveals something about God’s love for us. According to Romans 5:8 “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This passage states that God’s love precedes our love for God and even our lovability. God’s love is always first and God’s love does not hold back. God demonstrated His love for us and favor towards us in that He died for us when we were still sinners. He did not ask us to get our lives together before we were to be loved and before the ultimate sacrifice was made on our behalf. Instead He loved us when we were broken, hurting, and unlovable in so many ways.

God’s manner of operation is that He takes that which is unlovable and loves it. The choice that we face as people who are loved by God is how we will respond to Him. Will we accept His description of us as broken yet beloved and enter into a life of transformation with Him, or will we deny Him and sink deeper into our brokenness. God offers us this opportunity today, to come to Him and receive His love and forgiveness. There is no better opportunity that can ever come our way.

Lola seems to be fitting in well in our home. She is happy and enjoying all the attention she is getting here. Her life has certainly changed since she was living in a small cage at the animal shelter. Now she roams the house, gets attention whenever she wants it, keeps our girls up a night, and generally lives like a princess. She has a new life, and so do we when we accept the one who knows us and loves us. May we enjoy this new life together.

We adopted a deluxe-sized cat that had been a blood donor cat at the UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital. After we had had him awhile, he developed feline diabetes and was quite sick. The vet put him on the "South Beach" diet for cats, he lost 3 pounds and is now insulin dependent. I think sometimes if he had been adopted by someone who doesn't have the economic resources and time it takes to take care of a cat with these kinds of health issues. We're very lucky to have our Fat Cat - he's a wonderful loving fur-friend.

Hi Seth: Like some of your other comment folks, I'm a committed cat lover and found your piece touching and lovely (bless your girls for seeing the beauty in Lola) ... and, of course, the message is spot on. Blessings, Larry Holben

Mon, August 6, 2012 @ 10:58 AM

Add a New Comment

Your Name:

Your Email/URL (Optional):

Your Comment:

Enter the code:

Comment Guidelines: No HTML is allowed. Off-topic or inappropriate comments will be edited or deleted. Thanks.